Use Warp Effects to Create a Pastel Colored Candies Illustration

In the following tutorial you will learn how to create a pastel colored candies illustration. This tutorial uses many different vector techniques including the Appearance Panel, Transparency Settings, Patterns and more. Let’s begin!

Step 1

Press Command + N to create a new document. Enter 600 in the width box and 700 in the height box then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the "Align New Objects to Pixel Grid" box is unchecked before your click OK. Enable the Grid (View > Show Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid).

Next, you'll need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides > Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to replace the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. Al these options will significantly increase your work speed.

Step 2

Pick the Ellipse Tool (M), create a 100px circle and fill it with white. Select it, lower its opacity to 90% and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the data shown in the left window, click OK and go again to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the data shown in the middle window, click OK and go one more time to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the data shown in the right window and click OK.

Step 3

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a new 100px circle and place it above the existing shape. Fill it with R=255 G=245 B=255 and lower its opacity to 70%.

Step 4

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a new 100px circle and place it above the existing shapes. Fill it with the linear gradient shown in the following image and lower its opacity to 15%. The yellow zero from the gradient image stands for opacity percentage.

Step 5

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a new 100px circle and place it above the existing shapes. Fill it with a grey color and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). You'll need it later.

Step 6

Grab the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 20 by 75px, fill it with a random color and place it as shown in the first image. Switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A) and focus on this new rectangle. Select the two, bottom anchor points and go to Object > Path > Average. Check the Both button and click OK. This should turn your rectangle into a sharp triangle. Select it and go to Object > Transform > Reflect. Check the Horizontal button and simply click on the Copy button. This will create a vertically flipped copy of the triangle. Select it and drag it down as shown in the fourth image. Reselect both triangles and group them (Control + G).

Step 7

Reselect the group created in the previous step and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Enter the data shown in the following image, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Select the resulting group of shapes and go to Effect > Warp > Twist. Enter the data shown in the following image, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Select the resulting group of shapes and turn it into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make).

Step 8

Reselect the compound path created in the previous step along with the copy of the grey circle, open the Pathfinder panel and click on the Intersect button. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with the radial gradient shown in the following image and lower its opacity to 30%.

Step 9

Disable the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid) then go to Edit > Preferences > General and make sure that the Keyboard Increment is set at 1px. Reselect the compound path created in the previous step and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 2px down and 1px to the right using the arrow keys from your keyboard. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with white and lower its opacity to 30%.

Step 10

Enable the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a new 100px circle and place it above the existing shapes. Fill it with none but add a 5pt stroke (R=255 G=245 B=255). Focus on the Appearance panel, select this stroke, align it to inside and lower its opacity to 15%. Keep focusing on the Appearance panel and add a second stroke for your circle using the Add New Stroke. Select this new stroke, make 1pt wide, set its color at R=255 G=245 B=255, align it to inside and lower its opacity to 30%.

Step 11

Reselect the grey circle created in the fifth step, make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F) and bring them to front (Shift + Control + Right Square Bracket). Select the top copy and focus on the Transform panel. Check the middle, bottom reference point and the "Constrain Width and Height Proportions" button then simply enter "95" in the width box. This should resize your circle as shown in the second image. Reselect both shapes created in this step and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=250 G=77 B=173 and lower its opacity to 10%.

Step 12

Disable the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Reselect the grey circle and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 2px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Bring the resulting shape to front (Shift + Control + Right Square Bracket), fill it with R=250 G=77 B=173 and lower its opacity to 10%.

Step 13

Reselect the grey circle and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px up. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Bring the resulting shape to front (Shift + Control + Right Square Bracket), fill it with the linear gradient shown in the following image, lower its opacity to 20% and change the blending mode to Color Burn.

Step 14

Reselect the grey circle and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 3px up. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Bring the resulting shape to front (Shift + Control + Right Square Bracket), fill it with the linear gradient shown in the following image and lower its opacity to 20%.

Step 15

Enable the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). For the following step you will need a grid every 1px. So, go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid and enter 1 in the Gridline every box. Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 94px circle, place it as shown in the first image and duplicate it (Control + C > Control + F). Select this copy and move it 3px down. Reselect both shapes created in this step and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=255 G=245 B=255, change its blending mode to Screen and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 3px radius and click OK.

Step 16

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 90px circle, place it as shown in the first image and duplicate it (Control + C > Control + F). Select this copy and move it 1px down. Reselect both shapes created in this step and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=255 G=245 B=255 and lower its opacity to 50%.

Step 17

Reselect the grey circle and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Bring the resulting shape to front (Shift + Control + Right Square bracket), fill it with R=250 G=77 B=173, lower its opacity to 40% and change the blending mode to Color Burn.

Step 18

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 90px circle, place it as shown in the first image and duplicate it (Control + C > Control + F). Select this copy and move it 1px up. Reselect both shapes created in this step and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with white and lower its opacity to 50%.

Step 19

Return to "gridline every 5px". So, go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid and enter 5 in the Gridline every box. Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 90 by 95px shape and place it as shown in the first image. Select it along with the grey circle created in the fifth step and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with the linear gradient shown in the following image, lower its opacity to 15% and change the blending mode to Color Burn.

Step 20

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 50 by 5px shape, fill it with white and place it as shown in the first image. Change its blending mode to Soft Light and go to Effect > Warp > Arc. Enter the data shown in the following image and click OK.

Step 21

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a new 100px circle and place it above the existing shapes. Fill it with the linear gradient shown in the following image and focus on the Appearance panel. Select the fill, lower its opacity to 40% and change the blending mode to Color Burn.

Step 22

Next, you will need a built-in pattern. Go to the Swatches panel, open the fly-out menu and go to Open Swatch Library > Patterns > Basic Graphics > Basic Graphics_Textures. A new window with a set of built-in patterns should open. Reselect the circle created in the previous step and add a second fill using the Add New Fill button. Select it from the Appearance panel, add the "Stipple Fine" pattern, lower its opacity to 20% and change the blending mode to Color Burn. Select all the shapes created so far and group them (Control + G). This will be your little candy illustration. Don't close the panel with the pattern. You'll need it again later.

Step 23

Reselect the group created in the previous steps and make two copies. Focus on the first group copy, select the twisted shape and replace the existing radial gradient with the one shown shown below image #1. Move to the rest of the shapes inside this group, select them one by one and simply replace R=255 G=245 B=255 with R=245 G=255 B=254 and R=250 G=77 B=173 with R=77 G=194 B=250. Finally, select the top circle inside the group and replace the radial gradient used for the first fill with the one shown in the third image.

Step 24

Move to the second copy of the candy group and make the color changes shown in the following image.

Step 25

Disable the Gird (View > Show Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and simply click somewhere on your artboard. Enter 6 in the width box and 170 in the height box then click OK. Obviously, this made a 6 by 170px rectangle. Fill it with R=255 G=222 B=23 and go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 1px radius, click OK and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Enter the data shown in the following image, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance.

Step 26

Reselect the shape created in the previous step and make two copies in front (Command + C > Command + F > Command + F). Select the top copy and move it 1px to the left. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with the linear gradient shown in the following image.

Step 27

Reselect the yellow shape created in step #25 and make two copies in front (Command + C > Command + F > Command + F). Select the top copy and move it 2px to the right. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with the linear gradient shown in the following image.

Step 28

Reselect the yellow shape created in step #25, focus on the Appearance panel, select the fill and add the two Drop Shadow effects shown in the following image. Keep focusing on the Appearance panel, and add a second fill for your yellow shape. Select it, add the linear gradient shown below and go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -2px Offset and click OK.

Step 29

Select all the shapes created in the last four steps and group them (Control + G). This will be your candy stick. Place it as shown in the second image. Focus on the Layers panel and drag it inside your pink candy group. Place it in the bottom of the group, right above the white circle that has the opacity set at 90%.

Step 30

Add a stick for the other two candies. Simply multiply that stick group and place it as shown in the following image. Make sure that you drag those stick groups inside the candy groups like you did in the previous step.

Step 31

Spread your candies as shown in the following image.

Step 32

Pick the Rectangle Tool (M), create a shape the size of your artboard and send it to back (Shift + Control + Left Square Bracket). Fill it with R=254 G=236 B=179 then add a second fill and use the radial gradient shown in the following image. Add a third fill for this rectangle and select it from the Appearance panel. Lower its opacity to 25%, change the blending mode to Overlay and add the "USGS 20 Scrub" pattern.

Step 33

Pick the Type Tool (T), add your white "CANDY" text and place it as shown in the first image. Use the Titan One font with the size set at 75pt. Select it and go to Effect > Warp > Arc. Enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make).

Step 34

Continue with the Type Tool (T), add your "world" text, set its color at R=250 G=77 B=173 and place it as shown in the first image. Use the Short Stack font with the size set at 30pt. Select it and go to Effect > Warp > Arc. Enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make).

Step 35

Reselect the "world" compound path and go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Enter a 4px Offset and click OK. Select the resulting path along with the "CANDY" compound path and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Select the resulting group of shapes, turn it into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make) and focus on the Appearance panel. Select the fill, lower its opacity to 25% and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 36

Reselect the compound path created in the previous step and make two copies in back (Control + C > Control + B > Control + B). Select the bottom copy and move it 2px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with black, lower its opacity to 25% and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 37

Reselect the compound path created in the previous step and make a copy in back (Control + C > Control + B). Select it and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter a 3px radius and click OK.

Step 38

Reselect the "CANDY" compound path and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 2px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with white, set the opacity at 25% and the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 39

Reselect the "CANDY" compound path and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 4px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with white, set the opacity at 25% and the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 40

Reselect the "CANDY" compound path and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the top copy and move it 2px up. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with white, set the opacity at 50% and the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 41

Reselect the "CANDY" compound path and focus on the Appearance panel. Add a 5pt, white stroke, select it, align it to inside and lower its opacity to 10%.

Step 42

Reselect the "CANDY" compound path and make a copy in front (Control + C > Control + F). Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 320 by 300px shape and place it as shown in the second image. Select it along with the copy of the compound path and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder panel. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with the linear gradient shown in the following image, lower its opacity to 50% and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 43

Select the "world" compound path and make two copies in front (Control + C > Control + F > Control + F). Select the bottom copy and move it 2px down. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a compound path (Object > Compound Path > Make), fill it with white and change its blending mode to Soft Light. Reselect the "world" compound path, lower its opacity to 30% and change the blending mode to Soft Light.

Step 44

Finally, you can play a little with some basic blending techniques. Pick the Rectangle Tool (M), create a new shape the size of your artboard, fill it with R=237 G=28 B=36 and change its blending mode to Soft Light.

Duplicate this new rectangle, select the copy and replace the color used for the fill with R=250 G=129 B=77.

Conclusion

Now your work is done. Here is how it should look. I hope you've enjoyed this tut.